No Longer Whole
by TheSilverboar
Summary: This is a piece that I was inspired to create after seeing a piece of DeviantArt by the name 'No Longer Whole', the artist name is in the AN and i hope you give this story a shot.


**AN: I got this idea from a two part piece on DeviantArt and it really struck with me as I realized how big of a possibility this was in the Percy Jackson world but I had never seen it. So a shout out to the artist 'Golden-Flute' and their piece 'Percy Jackson—No Longer Whole'. It's a great piece and I'd recommend checking out their other work as well.**

**AN: Takes place at the end of Heroes of Olympus, or my version at least.**

No Longer Whole

-Percy-

Staring at the door in front of him Percy sighed before mustering up the courage he needed to knock on the door, half hoping that nobody would hear and he would have to leave. Within a minute or two of his knock though he hears shuffling on the other side. Finally, as the door slowly cracked open, he heard the tired voice of his step-father Paul grumble "Who is it? Do you know what time it…" before cutting off when their eyes met before the door shot open, "Percy?!" he exclaimed in shock.

"Hey Paul," he said sheepishly, shuffling his feet as his step-father rubbed sleep addled eyes, probably thinking it could still be a dream "sorry it's so late.".

"I…I can't believe it." Paul said, still staring at him in shock "You're…you're home!".

Wincing he looked down slightly "Yeah…well…" he moved his right hand…and gripped the stump where his left arm used to be "most of me.".

Paul gasped in horror before softly whispering "By the gods, please let this just be a nightmare.".

"I'm sorry Paul," he said just as softly "but this is real.", he would have said more but the man, shedding silent tears, pulled him into a tight embrace and cried softly for a moment before pulling him inside.

As the door closed behind them he heard his mother's tired voice "Paul? Who was at the door?" as she fumbled around for the light-switch. The moment she found it and the lights flared to life she froze in shock, staring at them in stunned disbelief, not yet noticing his missing limb as it was turned away from her.

"Sally," Paul said, his voice clearly shaking as he tried not to break down "look who's home.".

Sighing softly he turned to face his mother, his empty hoodie sleeve swinging limply, drawing attention to what was obviously not there. "Hey Mom," he said, taking a couple steps towards her, raising his right arm in a greeting causing his sleeve to drop and show the Roman brand that marked his skin "I'm home.".

"Per-" she began, tears in the corners of her eyes before she sighed "Perseus Jackson, what on earth did you do to your arm?".

Thinking that she believed this to be a dream, much like Paul had, he moved over to grip his stump and began "Oh. Um…well, the thing is…" but stopped when she took his hand and pulled it down while sliding his sleeve up to get a better look at his arm.

"A tattoo? Really?" she asked "You're barely seventeen. You shouldn't have to be worrying about things like tattoos or…or.." here he could see reality sink in as she came to grips that this wasn't a dream "…s-saving the world and…oh, God, Percy. I was so worried. I love you so much." She finished as she embraced him, sobbing into his shoulder.

"I love you too, Mom." He whispered softly as he wrapped his one arm around her.

As he felt her pull back he looked into her eyes and, though they still shone with tears, they also glowed with joy that he was back, that her baby boy was once again home. As she took his hand and his empty sleeve into her own palms while Paul placed a hand on his shoulder she shakily said "Welcome home, sweetheart.".

-The next Morning-

Waking up with a gasp, he lay panting in his bed, covered in a layer of sweat as he calmed down from his nightmare, when he was forced to relive the end of the war after telling his parents about it.

-Flashback-

Raising Riptide into the air he roared in defiance of Gaea and her army, his cry echoing in the voices of his Greek comrades before being followed by a cry of "Twelfth Legion Full Manata!" from the Romans as the two forces faced the oncoming horde of Monsters, led by Gaea in her new form. Her form showed her connection to the earth and nature more than any other deity he had ever seen, except for maybe Tartarus. Her skin was made of wood, like that of a sturdy tree, and her armor was thick looking stone. Her eyes glowed a vibrant leafy green while her flowing hair was the color amber sap as it cascaded past her shoulders while in her hand she gripped a vibrant green spear that he had no doubt was connected to the earth as she was.

"Charge!" he called out, running down the hill to meet the enemy force head on as the allied demigods yelled and followed suit, braying for the blood of the monsters that they faced. As he ran down Half-Blood hill though a chill ran up his spine when he saw Gaia's smirk before she pointed her spear at their oncoming force and fired a blast of raw magical energy at them.

Paling in fear he spun around used a blunt water whip to push his fellow demigods to the ground to save them from the blast as it rushed towards him. Turning to face his death head on, he stared Gaea in the eye and glared with all the hatred and force he could muster, knowing he couldn't dodge the blast of magic in time after saving his friends before he felt a force shove him aside as he dodged most of the blast…but it caught his left arm and burned it to ashes, cauterizing the stub as it did so as he fell to the ground with a cry of pain.

Using his remaining to push himself off the ground he looked to see what had moved him and froze when he saw Annabeth…or what was left as she lay bleeding on the ground…everything bellow her waist completely gone from Gaea's attack. Rushing over to her he cradled her gently with his remaining arm and felt his tears fall, faintly hearing Gaea laughing in the background at his misery. "Why?" he choked out as he held her, praying to all the gods to keep her alive.

"I..Promised you…didn't I?" she forced out with a weak smile as her life force continued to pool out beneath her "I swore you would survive this…that you would get to see your Mom again…I couldn't just let you die.".

"Please," he sobbed openly, his tears flowing like a river and mixing with her blood as it stained the ground "don't leave me...I love you Annabeth.".

"I love you too…Percy…" she gasped out, shaking as she slowly lost the last pieces of her life "but promise me…don't let my death destroy you…remember me…and live for the both of us…" she finished too weak to say another word.

"I…I promise I'll try my Annabeth, my Wise Girl." He felt his tears fall as he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly, trying to pour all his love for her into that kiss, trying to make sure that in her last moment Annabeth knew fully how much she loved her.

As he felt her last breath pass her lips he pulled away with a sob before resolve set in. Shakily, he used his remaining hand to untie her camp necklace before he gripped the cord and her dagger and wrapped the beaded cord around his fist, tying it together with his teeth as Gaea mockingly ordered her army to allow him time to do so, likely wanting to make his death as painful for him as she could.

Glaring at Gaea he brought all the power he could muster to the surface and strode towards the goddess of the earth. "Gaea!" he roared in fury "I challenge you! Just you and me, no Olympians, no demigods, no titans or giants or monsters. Just you, me, and this blade that I will drive into your withered dead heart.".

"I accept," she sneered at him before waving her forces back "and I shall relish watching the life drain from your eyes like it did from that stupid little daughter of Athena.".

Screaming in anger he charged the goddess who cackled madly and thrust her spear forward. Following his gut instinct he thrust and stopped the spear tip with his palm, causing all those watching to gape in shock at the feat. Continuing to follow his gut he roared the words that seemed to come to him "I am Perseus Jackson! I have best Ares in Single Combat! I have felt the power of Circe, wielded the Magic of the Golden Fleece! I have felt the power of Pan and held the weight of the Sky upon my shoulders! I navigated the labyrinth and stirred the mighty Typhon! I have seen the wonders of Ogygia and know the wonders of its magic! I have wielded my father's Trident and sat upon his throne as we fought the coward Kronos! I commanded the power of Zeus' Master bolt and embraced the Darkness of Hades Helm! I conquered Hyperion and Kronos by the blade! I bested Polybetes in combat and felt the touch of Thanatos! I wielded the Golden Eagle of the Twelfth Legion and commanded its power! I fought Phorcys and Keto in their own territory! I fought Otis and Ephialtes! I traversed Tartarus and befriended Damasen the Giant! I traversed the House of Night! I forced the goddess Akhyls to the brink of fading! I fought Tartarus alongside the love of my life, the primordial naming Annabeth and myself a bigger threat than even the Olympian Council! I have fought against the Gigantes and prevailed! I was witness to Pan's fading! I gave Iapetus a new life as my friend and Ally! I have bathed in the Styx and retain its power! I have waded through the Little Tiber! I am Leader of Camp Half-Blood and Praetor of New Rome! And now your death shall add to my name!".

With a yell he shoved aside the spear and got close to Gaia before he lunged and tackled her, knocking the goddess of her feet as he summoned his power over storms and summoned a tornado around them, rising through the air on its power. "To storm or fire the world must fall!" he roared in Gaea's face as he stabbed Annabeth's knife into the chest of the goddess of earth, her armor crumbling beneath the blow as she was separated from her domain. With a final yell he called forth the lighting of his storms and felt pain as the blast coursed through his body and Annabeth's knife into Gaea's form as she thrashed and screamed before exploding into a maelstrom of gold dust and raw power.

As his world went black he smiled, proud that he had at least managed to avenge his fallen love.

-End Flashback-

Sighing he ran his remaining hand through his hair and tried to push away the all too painful memory of Annabeth's death only to remember the 'reward' ceremony that was held on Olympus after the battle. The moment everyone had settled in Hephaestus had offered to build him a celestial bronze limb to replace the one he lost, along with every gadget and attachment the god could make before Zeus put his foot down and ordered Hephaestus to not to. As the shocked gods, demigods, and monster that was bound and brought to 'stand trial', turned towards the King of the gods Zeus loudly declared that his 'reward' for his service in the war was being allowed to live…but Zeus was declaring that he was never allowed to have his limb replaced as a way to deter him from trying to 'overthrow the great and honorable king of the gods'. It had taken the majority of the assembled gods to restrain his father, Hades, and the other demigods from tearing Zeus to shreds for that statement.

The rest of the remaining seven had refused point blank any reward after what Zeus had done to him and he had a feeling that many were planning on following his lead after he swore to never again defend Olympus do to Zeus' action.

When Zeus was about to fire the master bolt at him Hera had slapped him and declared that he was well within his right to declare such after what had happened and what Zeus had done. Before he had left the monster representative, which was Echidna, stopped him and breathed a cloud of gas on him before hissing that she had found Gaea's plans and how it would have been even worse for her children than living under the god's rules as Gaea would have left no living beings left in the world apart from the monsters and giants which would cause the monsters to starve to death over and over again for eternity. The cloud she breathed upon him would make sure that no monster attacked him or his family.

Shaking his head to clear away the memories he put on his and Annabeth's camp necklaces, slipped Riptide into his pocket, and then put Annabeth's dagger, in the new form of a ring, onto the ring finger of his right hand. Opening his door he saw his Mom and Paul sitting at the table as he walked over and gave his mom a kiss on the cheek, "I'm gonna go take a walk," he said quietly before smiling softly as he saw their eyes widen, probably thinking he would be kidnapped…again, if they let him out of their sight "I'll call or text every hour till I'm back." He assured them and showed the cellphone that Leo had built for him causing them to nod in acceptance.

"Besides," he said as he walked out "all you would have to do is get in contact with anyone from either camp and you'd have several hundred heavily armed demigods scouring the country for me." He smiles as his words finally reassured them.

As he walked down the streets of New York, idly fingering the beads that adorned his neck, he tried to ignore the gazes of passersby that were drawn to the clearly empty sleeve that once was filled by his left arm. After a couple of hours of walking around he finally stopped to sit on a bench in central park, lost in his thoughts of happier days with Annabeth.

He was shaken out of his memories though when he heard the crunching sound of footsteps approaching him and, looking up, was shocked to see Matt Sloan and Nancy Bobofit striding towards him arrogantly, a small posse following his childhood bullies as he emptied his features of all emotion.

"Well look here guys," Sloan crowed "we've found us a little cripple. What's your name loser? I want to know whose going to be giving me a wallet full of cash today.".

Raising an eyebrow at how they don't recognize him he slowly rose to his feet till he stood towering over the fools from his past. Shaking his head at how pathetic they were he simply moved to brush past them when Sloan shot a hand out to stop him and grabbed Annabeth's necklace.

Freezing in place for a moment due to shock he slowly turned towards the sneering fool as his shock turned to anger as he grabbed Sloan's wrist that held the necklace and began squeezing, feeling the strain on the bones as his demigod strengthened muscles brought the bones to the verge of breaking causing the pathetic fool to fall to his knees in pain.

Glaring at the shocked entourage he growled "I'm surprised you fools don't recognize me after all the time you spent trying to make my life hell in the past…but I highly doubt you'll forget me now." Shoving past them he shot them one last look over his shoulder "My name is Perseus Jackson…remember it.".

After sending a quick text to his mom to let her know he was still fine he walked down to the river's edge and sat down, simply watching the waters churn below him. "It's calming, isn't it?" a voice next to him asked as he glanced to his right to see a woman wearing black high heeled boots, skinny jeans, and a tight black sweater lean down on the railing next to him, overlooking the water, as her ebony hair cascaded down.

"What is?" he asked calmly, knowing that she was connected to his world but unable to sense who exactly she was.

"The water," she elaborated "it has always calmed me when I stare at it. Then again I think every water deity or demigod is calmed by the water, even if our rivers are in the underworld.".

"You're the Styx." He stated calmly as he turned back to the river, seeing the outline of the river god he had met years ago moving beneath the surface "I thought I recognized your presence, but I couldn't place it.".

"Yes, well that has to do with the spirit of the Little Tiber." The underworld goddess said calmly "He was quite proud when he 'washed away' my blessing," she snorted in derision "as if he could simply remove a blessing as powerful as the one I bestowed upon you. I removed it temporarily to prevent problems but I was fully able to return it during the battle…albeit with a new mortal point.".

"A new point?" he asked confused before shaking his head "And how would that work? Annabeth is what bound me to humanity, how can I have the mark of Achilles without…without her?".

"I can move your mark to a new point if I wish to and I decided to move yours," she explained before looking down and continuing in a softer voice "and as for Annabeth…you still have your memories of her don't you? All the joy and love she brought to you? The hopes and dreams that the two of you fought so hard for? That is what anchors you to humanity Perseus.".

Shaking his head he turned to ask one last question "And where is my new mortal point?".

Even with her somber smile he saw a mischievous twinkle enter her eye at his question, "Your new mortal point, young hero, is the wrist of your left arm.".

"My _LEFT_ arm?!" he exclaimed, sure that he must have misheard her "But that's…".

"The arm that you lost fighting Gaea." Styx finished sadly "It is still a part of your being in a sense and as such I was able to make that your mortal point. No weapon shall ever pierce your flesh again, nor any other form of injury. The only way for you to die now is from old age, poison, dehydration, starvation, or suffocation.".

"Why?" he asked, unable to even comprehend what he was just told "Why would you do this?".

"Because you deserve it Perseus," the goddess said softly "you are a good Hero, a good person, and a good man. I wanted to make sure you could live your life the way you wanted to.".

He didn't say anything after that, he simply stared at the water in silence as he took in what she told him. The goddess of the Styx wasn't bother though, she just stayed where she was and stared at the water with him, both of them simply enjoying the silence.

As he stood there he thought about his encounter with Sloan and Bobofit, and how back when he was still new to this world he had needed Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson to watch his back and protect him when things got rough…but a lot of demigods didn't have that. As he turned to face the Styx he saw in her eyes that she knew what he was going to ask…and that she was proud of his decision.

"Lady Styx," he asked softly "may I request one final thing from you?".

"You wish for partial immortality," she said, not answering his question "you wish to never age or get sick…you wish to be able to protect your fellow demigods for eternity.".

"Yes," he said softly "I have lost the chance for my dream to become true…but I can make sure that the dreams of my family will live on.".

"Very well my champion," Styx said softly before she leaned forward and kissed his lips softly for the briefest of moments before she pulled back as he stood there, stunned still in shock "you now have that and the ability to sense other demigods. Good luck my hero." She said softly before vanishing into a sea breeze and drifting away in the wind.

That night he returned home and explained to his mom that he would be moving around a lot but would call in as often as he could before he left.

-No P.O.V-

One month after the end of the Giant War and the demigod camps were very sullen and quite. Nobody had seen their greatest Hero, Perseus Jackson, since he had left his family's home one night and all attempts to contact him had failed. Then, one day, at Camp Half-Blood the border guard blew the signal horn at the sight of two individuals walking towards the camp undeterred. As everyone gathered at the boundary they saw a man in a hooded black cloak that revealed nothing about who he was walking alongside a small ten year old demigod with black hair and amber eyes.

The man with the cloak had stopped a few feet away from the boundary but urged the other demigod along and, once the demigod had crossed over, the cloaked man had vanished in a swirl of shadows. When they asked the demigod who the man was they were told "I don't know. He saved me from the monsters and told me about this place. He said was safe…and he gave me this.". At that point the child had pulled out a pen and clicked it…causing it to turn into the familiar bronze sword Riptide.

The campers quickly realized that the cloaked man was Percy and told the new demigod about the original owner of the sword as the Hunters of Artemis were called and told about what happened so they could find Percy.

Eight days later Lupa stood by the Praetor's of New Rome as a new demigod crossed the little Tiber to join them...while carrying the golden gladius that had been given to Perseus Jackson upon his promotion to Praetor.

As the years went on both demigods became powerful heroes as they tried to live up to the legend of the man who wielded their swords before them. And, upon their death's, the blades vanished only to be given to new demigods who always told the same story. About how a one armed man in a black cloak had saved them and brought them somewhere safe.

Perseus Jackson may no longer be whole…but he would spend eternity to make sure his family wouldn't share his fate.


End file.
